UNCTAD partners with developing countries to address challenges and capitalize on opportunities in the areas of transport infrastructure, trade facilitation and logistics, related administrative, procedural and legal frameworks, and customs automation.

UNCTAD's work in the field of transport and trade facilitation includes:

Research and analysis

Dissemination of information on recent developments

Providing advice to developing countries when formulating and implementing policies and programmes

Assisting in the development and implementation of national legal frameworks in line with international legal instruments and standards, and providing support to developing countries in the context of multilateral negotiations

Providing technical assistance in the field of transport and trade facilitation

Providing technical assistance, training and advanced software solutions for modernisation of Customs Administrations' clearance procedures and systems, in line with international standards and best practice

News

Seaborne shipments passed 10 billion tons for the first time ever in 2015, up 2.1 per cent from 9.8 billion tons the year before, the UNCTAD Review of Maritime Transport 2016 says, noting that this is the slowest pace of growth in the industry since 2009 and that future growth looks uncertain.

Trade-related freight transport is expected to grow by a factor of 4.3 between 2010 and 2050, but addressing climate change requires that it become more energy efficient, an UNCTAD official said, outlining a series of solutions ahead of an UNCTAD meeting at COP 22 on freight efficiency.

​Discussing sustainable freight transport is both timely and topical as the world community moves ahead with the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (ASD) and the Paris Climate Change Agreement (COP21).